Health policy wonk, political tragic, hiking & skiing nut. Sydney 🇦🇺 and Keystone 🇺🇸https://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtwiqs6z2k2pGreat excitement - we are approaching Svalbard! Major expeditions planned for tomorrow - tundra flora, dinosaur footprints, glaciers. #ArcticAdventure25 Aug 2026 18:57 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtwiqs6z2k2phttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtvqk6ive22rVoting is underway! https://sites.google.com/view/fatmarmotweek25 Aug 2026 11:44 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtvqk6ive22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtviqxtwi22rSailing to Svalbard #ArcticAdventure Seas have picked up, now a 2m swell but blue skies. Lectures on Svalbard history, plants, birdlife. No Northern Lights but amazing skies late last night25 Aug 2026 09:25 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtviqxtwi22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtv2kzm6fs2gThredbo and Perisher resorts are reportedly experiencing the third-lowest snow levels since records began in 1954, and a couple of smaller resorts have already called it quits on this year’s season – a few weeks shy of the usual close. https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/thredbo-s-woes-is-a-ski-resort-without-snow-like-a-pub-with-no-beer-20260825-p60rbw.html25 Aug 2026 05:11 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtv2kzm6fs2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtu47qhzb22eListening to the bush: how AI can help NZ rid its wilderness of ‘hold-out’ pest possums. https://theconversation.com/listening-to-the-bush-how-ai-can-help-nz-rid-its-wilderness-of-hold-out-pest-possums-289800?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=bylineblueskybutton24 Aug 2026 20:08 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtu47qhzb22ehttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mttkuil3bk2lhttps://www.bmj.com/content/394/bmj-2026-100642?utm_campaign=Usage&utm_content=1787582235&utm_id=BMJ208&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter24 Aug 2026 14:57 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mttkuil3bk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtsvesv4z22lPS. For Shackleton fans and those interested in marine archeology, totally recommend Mensun Bound's book on finding the Endurance beneath the ice. [contains quote post or other embedded content]24 Aug 2026 08:33 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtsvesv4z22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtsv6xj4ws2lSea day aboard Sylvia Earle as we head towards Svalbard. Lectures on photography, nautical charts, whales and mandatory briefing on polar bear safety. In case we miss seeing polar bears, there's a contribution from our cabin steward! #ArcticAdventure24 Aug 2026 08:29 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtsv6xj4ws2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtqls75wp223After a day at sea sailing north we arrived at tiny Jan Mayen - a volcanic (active) island in middle of Norwegian Sea. Just a weather station w military presence, lots of seabirds, incl puffins, auks, amazing geology. #ArcticAdventure23 Aug 2026 10:36 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtqls75wp223https://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtpyem4kxk2gA long-nosed fur seal has been announced as the first confirmed death of a mammal by the deadly bird flu virus that is now spreading through Australia, a development in the progression of the virus long expected but dreaded by scientists. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/first-mammal-case-of-bird-flu-found-an-expected-but-dreaded-advance-20260823-p60qps.html23 Aug 2026 04:48 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtpyem4kxk2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtnzg72xq22qWho knew? And claiming Iceland as the birthplace of cricket! 🏏 [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Aug 2026 10:02 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtnzg72xq22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtnzbhb7ic2q If you like fat Alaskan bears you will love fat Coloradan marmots! https://apnews.com/article/fat-marmot-week-climate-change-ucla-266af87a40f3146f1ea54fa21ab72b3022 Aug 2026 09:59 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtnzbhb7ic2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtm4xemo6c2qA morning exploring Vigur Island in Westfjords, Iceland. Settled 1000 years ago, now conservation site for birds -puffins, Arctic terns, eider ducks (down is collected), black guillenots. Breeding season is over, puffins linger on water, terns preparing to fly south to Antarctica. #ArcticAdventure21 Aug 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtm4xemo6c2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtjue34hds2bA great day sailing, hiking, exploring fiords of NW Iceland. #ArcticAdventure This morning hiked up above tiny town of Thingeri for spectacular views, with our ship below on glassy calm waters.20 Aug 2026 18:20 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtjue34hds2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtijvjdoss2zWe spent the day exploring Iceland - a strange, evocative place with fascinating history & geography, vulcanology (steam and hot water everywhere), waterfalls and lots of tourists. #ArcticAdventure20 Aug 2026 05:40 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtijvjdoss2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtezawnh6s2hhttps://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/it-s-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-the-future-fears-over-sudden-loss-of-sea-ice-20260815-p60ol1.html18 Aug 2026 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtezawnh6s2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtellmzu7c2zGreetings from Reykjavik - where they serve a great flat white! We visited the site of the Reagan - Gorbachev summit. #ArcticAdventure18 Aug 2026 16:00 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtellmzu7c2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtc4rpfmjk2tA new #ArcticAdventure starts today as we fly Denver -> Reykjavik. We are sailing Aurora Expeditions Sylvia Earle (ship we took to Antarctica last year #ShackletonsFootsteps) to Svalbard & Norway. Hoping for polar bears, puffins, whales, northern lights, lots of learning about climate change.17 Aug 2026 16:30 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtc4rpfmjk2thttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mtc3zpruic2pAs Ebola kills thousands in DRC, a perfect storm is making the virus hard to stop https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/17/ebola-kills-thousands-drc-perfect-storm-virus?CMP=share_btn_url17 Aug 2026 16:16 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mtc3zpruic2phttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mt63ypekmc2dGrass is spreading across some regions of the Antarctic as ice retreats, threatening Southern Ocean islands with the prospect of wildfires in another sign of how human-caused climate change is warping the polar wilderness. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/polar-wildfires-scientists-warn-of-grass-spreading-across-parts-of-the-antarctic-20260814-p60ogc.html16 Aug 2026 02:05 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt63ypekmc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mt5qk62n5227https://x.com/onlymarmsrmbl/status/2088713646364823969?s=1215 Aug 2026 22:40 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt5qk62n5227https://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3msxttnja522qLots of news in latest THW: - Fauci witch hunt - Trump persists with vaccine/autism link - Food safety concerns - Ebola updates - Who is next UN chief? - Bird flu hits Australia - French postal workers check in on elderly - Cute fat marmots raising research funds https://www.croakey.org/the-health-wrap-a-witch-hunt-infectious-diseases-for-the-love-of-marmots-and-who-will-be-the-next-united-nations-chief/13 Aug 2026 14:23 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3msxttnja522qhttps://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mt5fisk5ms22A new trail today! Peaks Trail from Frisco trailhead past Rainbow Lake to intersection with Gold Hill Trail and return - 6 miles/9.6km. Lovely to have gurgling creek alongside the trail. #KeystoneHiking15 Aug 2026 19:23 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt5fisk5ms22https://bsky.app/profile/lrussellwolpe.bsky.social/post/3mt4pras35k24In One Week During Europe’s Record Heat Wave, Deaths Increased by 16,000 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2026/08/15/world/europe/europe-heat-wave-deaths-june-2026.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share15 Aug 2026 12:54 +0000at://did:plc:ch5hpytc5dexl2srdc22bpfg/app.bsky.feed.post/3mt4pras35k24